Community managers who hold the Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation earn an annual average of $21,000 more than managers who do not hold professional designations.

The value of designations is just one of many conclusions to be drawn from the 2003 Community Association Manager Compensation and Salary Survey, a comprehensive report sponsored by the Foundation for Community Association Research.

The survey reveals that community managers earn an average of 23 percent more than they did just three years ago, when the research was last conducted. Chief executive officers for management companies earn an average of 22 percent more than three years ago—and now average more than $100,000 a year.

Similar data are available for 22 functions related to community association management, including assistant community managers and manager-level positions in the areas of finance, general maintenance, public safety and recreation. For each job function, the 56-page report provides data on total compensation, including the percentage that is derived from bonuses. It also includes information on professional designations, education levels by job title and employee benefits.

The survey provides compensation data as well as other industry insights. For example:

• Community managers in California and the South (excluding Florida) earn significantly more than their counterparts in Florida, the Northeast, Midwest and West.
• Compensation for recreation program coordinators increased 27.9 percent between 2000 and 2003, the highest percentage for any of the 22 job functions surveyed.
• Almost 70 percent of management companies provide maintenance services, but fewer than 40 percent provide pool services.
• The average management company CEO spends 26 percent of his or her time on community management, only 2 percent on litigation issues.
• Large-scale community managers devote an average of 18 percent of their time to board relations.

The report is designed to allow management companies and individual managers to compare their compensation levels with those of their peers. To aid geographic comparison, the data are aggregated by six regions—California, Florida, Northeast, Midwest, South (minus Florida) and West (minus California).

The Foundation was created in 1975 by Community Associations Institute (CAI) to serve as the catalyst for positive change in the community association industry by illuminating future trends and opportunities, supporting and conducting research, and mobilizing resources. The Foundation is supported by voluntary contributions.

The survey was conducted by Industry Insights, Inc., an independent research and consulting firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Copies of the report can be ordered by calling CAI Direct at 703-548-8600 or by visiting www.caisecure.net. The cost for CAI members is $119 ($199 for non-members).

About 50 million Americans live in an estimated 250,000 condominium and homeowner associations, cooperatives and other association-governed communities. More than a million homeowners serve on community association boards. Their communities are served by tens of thousands of professional community managers and supported by professionals in the fields of accounting, communications, engineering, finance, law, maintenance and security.

CAI is the only national organization dedicated to fostering vibrant, responsive, competent community associations. Its mission is to help community associations promote harmony, a sense of community, responsible citizenship and effective leadership. CAI’s 15,000-plus members include community association volunteer leaders, professional managers, management companies and businesses and professionals who provide products and services to community associations.